Director Morgan Neville immersed himself in the creation of “Man on the Run,” a documentary chronicling Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles journey throughout the 1970s that is currently showing in select cinemas before its February 27th debut on Prime Video.

Because Neville’s extensive interview sessions yielded far more content than a single film could hold, McCartney’s firm, MPL, opted to transform those leftovers into an oral history titled Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run.

The project’s literary path began when historian Ted Widmer, a former Clinton White House speechwriter, bumped into editor Bob Weil after a 2023 McCartney show.

Following Widmer’s glowing review of McCartney’s photography book, Weil—who had edited that very volume—contacted Widmer in early 2024 to lead the oral history project. Widmer, thrilled by the opportunity, worked alongside a dedicated team at MPL to move the book rapidly toward completion.

The narrative span begins with the Beatles‘ dissolution, navigating through early solo efforts like McCartney and Ram before concluding with McCartney II, the record that signaled his departure from the Wings era. Throughout the text, Linda McCartney is portrayed as both a stabilizing influence against the pressures of fame and a crucial musical collaborator.

The book is seasoned with vivid stories, not just from Paul, but from bandmates like drummers Denny Seiwell and Joe English. Seiwell shares a humorous tale about accidentally purchasing a counterfeit Shea Stadium drum kit and recalls his shock at McCartney’s modest Scottish farm life, where the superstar relied on hot water bottles for warmth.

English, for his part, captures the surreal nature of the job, recounting the moment he opened a closet only to find the iconic original Sgt. Pepper uniform hanging right next to his own clothes.